Morning, anglers—Artificial Lure here with your Saturday, October 25th Lake Winnebago fishing report.
Sunrise this morning hit at 7:20 a.m., and you’ll see sunset at 5:57 p.m. We started the day chilly—temps hovering around 1°C (about 34°F) at dawn, but we’re warming up fast under a clear, sunny sky that should touch 13°C (about 55°F) by late afternoon, with a gentle northwest wind in the 4 to 8 knot range, backing south by evening. Expect those calm, bluebird conditions to hold throughout the day—ideal for a crisp fall bite. For you night stalkers, expect some patchy clouds after dark and steady temps around 7°C.
There’s no tidal action to speak of on Winnebago, but water inflows have been holding steady thanks to the occasional showers over the past week, keeping levels ideal for most species, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Now for the bite—fish activity is still strong thanks to the cool-down and stable flows. According to this week’s Lake Winnebago Daily Fishing Report, the walleye bite is still going after that early October lull. Jigging live bait or plastics near current breaks, river mouths, and rock points has been working, especially early and late in the day. Most catches are “eater” size—14 to 18 inches—with regular reports of limits coming from boats drifting in 8–14 feet of water off the west shore and south end reefs.
White bass have been schooling up thick on the flats and just outside the river mouths—they’re chasing shad and young-of-the-year perch, so this is prime time to throw blade baits, small silver or white crankbaits, and classic live minnows under a slip bobber. Perch are hitting well too, especially for shore anglers and those parking over weedbeds or old pilings—small fathead minnows and waxworms are getting the job done.
Recent stringers report:
- **Walleye**: Good numbers, most in the 15–18 inch range, with some slots caught and released.
- **White bass**: Fast action when you find the schools, many in the 11–14 inch class.
- **Perch**: Plenty around, many 8–11 inches—sort through for the jumbos.
For best results today, use:
- 1/8–1/4 ounce jigs tipped with fatheads or crawlers for walleye. Bright chartreuse, orange, and purple are local favorites.
- Blade baits and chatterbaits for white bass; they’re hitting aggressive, so upsize if you want the big ones.
- Ice jigs or slip bobber rigs with waxies and small plastics for perch.
- If you’re live baiting, fatheads and small leeches are still working, despite the cold snap.
Hot spots worth targeting:
- **Oshkosh Flats**: Always a good bet for mixed bags, especially early.
- **South end reefs** off Fond du Lac, particularly for bigger walleye and white bass.
- **The mouth of the Fox River** if you want shore action or are fishing small craft—look for schooling perch and bass.
No reports of sturgeon this week, and a reminder from the Wisconsin Outdoor News: sturgeon spearing licenses for the coming 2026 season must be purchased by October 31st th
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.